Donald Trump on April 12, criticized Pope Leo XIV over remarks condemning U.S. actions in Iran and Venezuela, escalating tensions between the two figures.
In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, Trump described the pope as weak on crime and ineffective in foreign policy.
“I like his brother Louis much better,” Trump said, adding that Louis aligns with his “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement and “understands what is going on,” unlike the pope.
Trump also objected to the pope’s stance on Iran and Venezuela, saying he does not want a pontiff who tolerates Iran possessing nuclear weapons or criticizes U.S. military actions.
“I don’t want a pope who criticizes the president of the United States,” Trump said, adding that he was elected by an overwhelming margin and is carrying out his responsibilities, including reducing crime and strengthening financial markets.
Trump further claimed that Pope Leo XIV’s rise to the papacy was tied to his own presidency.
“Leo should be thankful. He was a surprise choice,” Trump said. “He wasn’t even on the list of candidates, but the Church thought the best way to deal with President Trump was to make him pope because he is American. If I weren’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.”
Trump also criticized the pope’s meetings with figures he described as left-leaning, including David Axelrod, a former adviser to President Barack Obama.
He urged the pope to “get his act together,” focus on his role as a religious leader and stop aligning with what he called the “radical left,” warning that such actions could harm both the pope and the Catholic Church.
The criticism follows earlier remarks by Pope Leo XIV opposing U.S. actions abroad. In January, the pope said Venezuela should remain an independent nation after Trump indicated the United States could directly govern the country following the removal of President Nicolás Maduro.
On April 7, the pope also condemned Trump’s comments about the destruction of Iranian civilization, calling them unacceptable.